Follow our advice, and you’ll be headed for the Hall of Fame in no time.

All new to this year’s Madden NFL 13 is Connected Careers. The Superstar and Franchise modes of yesteryear have been replaced with a comprehensive and drastically different career experience than Madden fans have grown accustomed to. With all the changes, it’s easy to get lost in the nuance. That’s why we’ve put together this in-depth look at Connected Careers. With our guidance, you should have no problem getting your player or coach off to a great start on their journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Coach Career

Playing as a coach is basically Franchise mode. There are some differences in how Franchise mode was run in years past, but this guide is to help you succeed at Madden NFL 13. Most of the actions you took part in before return here once again. You’ll scout players from the upcoming draft, you’ll sign free agents, you’ll negotiate contracts with current players, and you’ll still play every single snap of every single game (if you want to).

The goal of the coach’s Connected Career is to surpass the Legacy score of Vince Lombardi, and become the greatest coach who ever had a guiding hand in his team’s success. You could choose to play as any current coach in the league, one of a small handful of Legendary coaches present in Madden NFL 13, or create your own coach (including using EA Game Face).

Backstories

Should you choose to create your own coach, you’ll have to choose a backstory for him that will directly affect your team and your passive bonuses.

Motivator

A motivational coach inspires players. As a motivator, your team will be more enticing for free agents. You’ll also gain 25% discounts on packages that increase a free agent’s desire to sign with you at a given position, as well as a 25% discount on packages that stave off a position player’s retirement.

This backstory is decent, but doesn’t really provide a whole lot in the way of immediate results. You’ll have to wait a full season to take advantage of the benefits, though it should be noted having the ability to convince top-tier players to play for you at a potentially discounted rate is a great strength for those of you interested in the long haul.

Strategist

The strategist is a brilliant tactician, and looks at the football field like a chessboard. As a strategist, your players will gain the same amount of experience on the field, but the cost of increasing their attributes will be lowered. Additionally, you’ll gain more experience as a coach, and get 25% discounts on experience-boosting packages for your players.

This is probably the best and most well rounded of the backstories. Having the ability to gain your players more experience is key in both building young talent up and keeping veterans at the top of their game. If you’re a Madden newcomer, this backstory is highly recommended.

Team Builder

The team builder is a man of many hats, and acts as one of the few coach/general managers in the league. Technically in Madden, everyone is a GM no matter what, but the team builder backstory is built around being the all-encompassing franchise director. You’ll get more scouting points every week, you’ll be able to convince the computer to trade with you a bit easier, and earn a 25% discount on re-signing packages for individual players.

This backstory is one of the most challenging to utilize, as it’s designed for the coach who wants a challenge. All of the bonuses are long term, and are built around creating a dynasty. Being a team builder is not recommended for first-timers, and vets will appreciate taking over a weaker team in the hopes of turning them into a champion.

As you can see, none of the backstories come with any negatives. Everything bonus included can only help you in your career. Be careful in your decision making though, as you cannot change your backstory during your career. Whatever type of coach you choose to be at the onset is the same coach you’ll be when you retire.

The same can be said of the final bit of creation options for your created coach. The name you choose, the on-field strategy slider settings (pass vs. run, aggressivness, etc.) you adjust, and your look are permanent. Before you finalize, make sure you’re happy in your decisions; otherwise you’ll have to re-roll a new coach from scratch.

Team Selection

For most players, picking a team will be easy. We imagine there’s a great deal of you who just want to take over your favorite team, and lead them to glory over the next thirty years. But will the coach you created be a good fit for that team? You see, each team has players that have been signed and drafted to play under the old coach’s style. For example, you wouldn’t make yourself an expert in the 3-4 defense, and then decide to take over a team like the Eagles, who are built around the 4-3 defense.

Players who fit your scheme will play better for you, and have a better chance at gaining more experience since they’ll be in a familiar system. Before you jump in to any career as a created coach, just take a look at what type of defense playbook the team you want to take over utilizes. It will give you a bit of a leg up, and will help you be better prepared for the challenges that await you.

All that considered, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you find a team that will match up with your backstory best. Certain teams are just looking for the right leadership to put them over the top, while others are a few years away from being relevant. There are some teams who have a solid core, but also have some money they can spend to get the final few pieces to help take the title. With the rosters already locked in, it’s up to you to get the most out of the players at your disposal.

Keep in mind, you can be a coach with any backstory you want, and coach any team you want. This is just a list of where particular backstories will benefit you and the team the most.